The question of who invented the modern menstrual pad does not have a single answer, but rather a complex history of incremental innovations spanning centuries. The product we recognize today is the result of a long evolution, moving from rudimentary, homemade solutions to the sophisticated designs available on store shelves. Understanding this journey requires looking beyond a single inventor to the cultural, medical, and technological shifts that made the disposable pad possible. This story is one of continuous improvement, driven by the need for greater comfort, security, and discretion in managing a natural biological process.
The Pre-History of Menstrual Protection
Before the advent of commercial products, women relied on materials readily available in their environment to manage menstrual flow. In ancient Egypt, women are believed to have used softened papyrus or linen to create makeshift pads or internal absorbents. Similarly, women in ancient Greece and Rome utilized wool, which is a naturally absorbent material, sometimes wrapping it around small pieces of wood to create a form of tampon.
For centuries, the most common method across many cultures was the use of reusable cloth rags. These cloths were typically made from woven fabric or flannel, which women would wash and reuse for each cycle. While practical, these homemade solutions were often bulky, offered limited absorbency, and presented hygiene challenges due to the difficulty of thorough cleaning. The lack of effective, secure products meant that women were often confined to their homes or limited in their activities during menstruation.
The Birth of the Disposable Pad
The concept of a disposable pad emerged from a wartime medical discovery, marking the first major shift away from reusable cloth. During World War I, French nurses found that Cellucotton, a material made from processed wood pulp, was five times more absorbent than traditional cotton bandages. These nurses began using the surplus cellulose surgical dressings as makeshift sanitary napkins, realizing its potential for menstrual hygiene.
This discovery led to the first commercially successful disposable pad, Kotex, which was introduced by Kimberly-Clark in 1921, utilizing the Cellucotton material. However, the idea of a disposable product had been explored earlier, with the Southall brothers in the United Kingdom introducing a sanitary towel as early as 1880, and Johnson & Johnson debuting “Lister’s Towels” in the United States in 1896. These early commercial pads were often bulky and required a sanitary belt—an elastic strap worn around the waist and between the legs—to hold them in place. Marketing these products was difficult due to social taboos surrounding menstruation, which led to discreet packaging and women often being too embarrassed to purchase them openly.
The Critical Innovation of Mary Kenner
The functionality of the early belted pads was significantly improved by the work of Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner, an African-American inventor. Kenner filed a patent in 1956 for an adjustable sanitary belt that addressed major flaws in existing designs. Her invention featured easily adjustable straps, which allowed the user to customize the fit and eliminate the chafing and irritation common with other products.
Kenner later filed a patent for a modification that included a moisture-proof pocket, which made the belted pad more secure and less likely to leak onto clothing. Despite the ingenuity of her design, a company that initially expressed interest in manufacturing her product withdrew their offer after discovering she was Black. Kenner never profited from her invention, as her patent eventually expired, allowing manufacturers to freely adopt her design improvements, which were crucial for making the belted pad a more practical option for women.
The Shift to Beltless and Modern Design
The final, transformative step in the pad’s evolution was the elimination of the sanitary belt, which occurred in the early 1970s. This innovation was made possible by the introduction of a wide adhesive strip on the back of the pad, allowing it to stick directly to the user’s undergarment. The first widely successful beltless pad was the Stayfree maxi-pad, which was introduced in 1972 and quickly made the cumbersome sanitary belt obsolete.
Following this major design change, subsequent innovations focused on improving comfort and leak protection through material science. The 1980s saw the introduction of “wings,” which are adhesive flaps that fold over the edges of the underwear to secure the pad and prevent side leakage. Modern pads also incorporate super-absorbent polymers, such as sodium polyacrylate, which can absorb many times their weight in liquid. This allows for the creation of the ultra-thin, highly protective pads used today.